Insulation-severing device



June 14, 1927'. 7 1,632,320

E. H. SIPPEL ET AL INSULATION SEVERING DEVICE Filed June 4, 1920 YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII,

5 INVENTOR. Ernest Hsjppel l7 By Norman .Wr/ ht I4 TTORNEY Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST n. sxrrnr. AND NORMAN J. WRIGHT, or TOLEDO. 01110, nssxenons, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro THE nnnc'rmo AUTO-LITE'COMPANY, or 'roLEno, 01110, A con- POBATION OF OHIO.

INSULATIONSEVERING DEVICE.

Application filed June 4 This invention relates to insulated electric vwire and particularly to the severing or parting of the insulation covering the wire, it being an object of our invention to sever or 6 part the insulation in an expeditious manner and without in any way injuring the metal conductor underneath.

Whenever it is necessary to lay bare the conductor of an insulated wire for the purpose of making an electrical connection with another wire or binding post or for attaching a terminal clip to the wire, the insulation covering has been commonly removed or pushed back by first cutting through it by' means of a Sharp knife or similar tool and then eeling or pushing back the insulation. n quantity production this operation, even though carried on thousands of' times per day by an expert operator, is at best slow. Moreover, the wastage is large,

particularly where the wire is a cable built up of many fine wires for, unless the utmost care is constantly exercised, the outer strands of the cable will be accidentally severed as well as the insulation.

According to our invention, we bring the insulated wire in contact with a metallic strip heated to a red heat by passing a current of electricity through it and by givin the wire a rotative movement, burn throu the insulation and thereby sever it. e ends of the insulation may then be pushed back leaving the bare conductor.

Further objects of this invention relate to economiesof manufacture and details of construction as will-hereinafter appear from the detailed description to follow. We accomplish the objects of our invention in one instance by the devices and means described 4 in the following specification, but it is evident that -the same may be varied widely without departing from the scope of the invention as pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting one embodiment of our invention, which y be the preferred, is illustrated in the d diernpanyingh drawings forming a part hereof, 1n whic Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device involving our invention,

Fig. 2"is' a top plan view of the same 1920. Serial m. 386,498.

showing a piece of insulated wire being held in position on the device,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, and

Fig. 4.- is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawings, a base 5 having a channel 6 supports a block 7 of insulating material,' 'referably of a refractory nature, such or instance as fire clay. This block 7 is shown held in proper position by four clamping strips 8 screwed to the base 5 andis provided with a longitudinal channel or slot in which rests a hot strip 9. This strip 9 is preferably constructed of suitable resistance metal not readily oxidized and is electrically connected by suitable means, such as screws and washers, with a pair of terminal brackets 10 which are se cured to the base 5 and .to which are attached the terminals 11 of the current conductors 12. The base 5 is constructed preferably of slate, marble or other suitable insulating material, however, it may, if desired, be made of metal in which case one or both of the terminal brackets 10 should be insulated therefrom. In order to leave the hot strip 9 exposed for operating upon Y the insulated wire, the block 7 is provided with a V-shaped notch 15. There is also provided a gage 16 which is adjustably secured to a bracket 17 attached to thebase 5 by means of which the insulation may be severed at a predetermined distance from one end of the wire.

In the use of this device the terminal brackets 10 are connected to a source of current such that the strip 9 will be brought to a dull red heat. The operator then holds the wire, whose insulation is to be severed,

against the hot strip with one end against the gage 16 in' a manner such as is illustrated by Fig. 2 and rotates the wire. In this figure the tperator is shown in the act of severing the insulation on a connector wire 19 which has already been provided with a clip 20 at each end. The heat from the hot shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative only, and not in a limiting sense. I

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire .to secure. by Letters Patent,'is:

1. In a device of the class described, a support, an insulating unit carried by said support and having an axial groove there- 'in, and an electrical heating element partially embedded in the bottom of the groove in said unit and having a thin flat upper edge; said unit being cut away adjacent the center thereof to expose said heating element.

2. In a device of the class described, a base member, a bracket at each end of said base member and attached thereto, an insulating member extending between said brackets, means to secure said'insulating member to said base member, and an electric heating element having a thin flat upper edge partially embedded in said insulating member and electrically connected to said brackets, said insulating member being cut away at the center to provide access to said heating element.

In testimony whereof, we ailix our signatures.

ERNEST H. SIPPEL. NORMAN J. WRIGHT. 

